Spinning game device formed from flat sheet material



Nov. 3, 1964 M. J. RUDERIAN SPINNING GAME DEVICE FORMED FROM FLAT SHEET MATERIAL Filed Jan. 4, 1963 XNVENTOR. MAX J. 2005mm W2? ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,155,392 SPENNING GAME DEVICE FGRNED FROM FLAT SHEET MATERIAL Max J. Ruderian, 613 Wilshire BEVKL, Santa Monica, Calif. Filed Jan. 4, 1963, Ser. No. 249,450 8 Claims. ((31. 273-142) This invention relates generally to educational games and more particularly to an improved spinning type game device which may be formed from flat sheet material such as the side of a cereal box or the like.

In my co-pending application Serial No. 228,133, filed October 3, 1962, and entitled Educational Toy Device, there is disclosed in part a spinning type frame structure for supporting disc members formed from the side of a container. The present invention constitutes an improvement in the frame means supporting such a rotating disc wherein the frame means itself constitutes an arrow structure serving the dual function of rotatably supporting the disc and also designating certain markings on the disc after the disc has come to rest.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved spinning type game device useful either for educational purposes or simple games which may be formed from the flat sides of a container.

More particularly, it is an object to provide an improved bearing support and painter means which may be formed from a single integral flat strip portion constituting a part of the side of a container box.

Another important object is to provide an improved arrow structure in the form of a supporting frame in which the disc or discs supported thereon are automatically stabilized as a consequence of inherent properties of the particular design for the arrow structure.

Other broader objects of the invention are to provide an improved spinning type educational device which may be provided without any substantial increase in manufacturing cost of conventional containers to the end that amusement as well as education is provided to large numbers of purchasers of such containers.

I Briefly, these and many other objects and advantages of this invention are attained by providing score lines on at least one side of a container outlining various elements from which the device may be formed. These elements include, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, a pair of congruent discs connected together at peripheral edge portions so that they may be folded one on top of the other. These discs are provided with central openings and marking on their exposed faces. From the side of the container or, alternatively, from another side, there is defined by the score lines an arrow structure including a an elongated strip terminating in first and second ends of given shapes, preferably circular. The arrangement is such that the strip may be folded out of the plane of the end portions and bent back and forth a number of times to provide an accordion type pleat structure. This pleated structure is receivable in the central openings of the discs to serve as a bearing support, the given shaped end portions in the form of circles overlapping and being disposed on one side of the discs.

One of the circular portions includes a pointer which is biased by the other circular portion against the face of the one disc adjacent thereto so that when the rotating discs come to rest, one of the markings thereon will be designated by the pointer. By employing the accordion type pleated structure, the strip portion received within the central openings expands against the edges of the openings as a consequence of their resilient nature so that the discs are stabilized during rotation, and there is provided sufficient friction so that they will slow down relatively quickly after a few turns.

A better understanding of the invention will be had "ice by now referring to the preferred embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a container such as a cereal box wherein the game device of this invention is provided;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view illustrating the manher in which the arrow structure illustrated in FIGURE 1 may be formed to provide a bearing support;

FIGURE 3 is another perspective view partly broken away illustrating the various assembled elements making up the invention;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary cross section useful in describing certain features of the invention; and,

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary section taken in the direction of the arrows 55 of FIGURE 4.

Referring first to FIGURE 1, there is shown a container such as a cereal box 10 including a front face 11. As shown, the front face 11 includes score lines defining congruent discs 12 and 13 integrally connected together at a peripheral point such as at 14. The discs include further score lines defining central openings 12' and 13. The arrangement is such that the discs may be removed from the face 11 and folded about the integrally connected portion 14 so that one disc lies on top of the other. In order to retain the discs in this folded relationship, the disc 12 may be provided with a slot 15 to receive a small tab 16 on the other disc 13.

Also included on the front face 11 of the box 10 are score lines defining an arrow structure. This arrow structure includes an elongated strip portion 17 terminating at a first end in a first circle 18 including an extending pointer portion 19 and at its opposite end in a circle 21!. As shown in FIGURE 1, the longitudinal edges of the elongated strip 17 at the end portions of the strip extend into the circles 18 and 20 to the central portions thereof and are provided with wedges 17a and 1711. By this structure, the end portions of the elongated strip 17 may be bent out of the plane of the circles 18 and 20 with the wedges providing end stops for the discs as will become clearer as the description proceeds.

FIGURE 2 illustrates the arrow structure separated from the box 10 and in partially formed position. Thus, the end portions of the elongated strip 17 are indicated at 21 and 22 and are shown respectively bent out of the plane of the circles 18 and 20, respectively. The central portion of the elongated strip in turn includes inwardly extending portions 23 and 24 forming integral extensions of the outer end portions 21 and 22, these inner portions thence being folded outwardly again as at 25 and 26. The arrangement is such that accordion type pleats are provided so that they may he collapsed together in such a manner as to bring the second circular portion 20 in overlapping relationship to the first circular portion 1%.

The foregoing overlapping relationship is illustrated more clearly in FIGURES 3 and 4 wherein it will be noted that the central portion of the strip 17 when in collapsed pleated condition is adapted to be passed through the central openings 12' and 13' of the discs 12 and 13 after the same have been folded together as described. In this connection, it will be noted that shoulder portions 20' and 213" are defined when the end portion of the elongated strip 22 is bent out of the plane of the circle 29. These shoulder portions are arranged to overlie the forward portion of the first circle 18 and will resiliently bias the pointer portion of the first circle 18 against the face of the disc member 13. The small wedges 17a and 17b in the strip lock the discs against rearward longitudinal movement.

With particular reference to FIGURE 4, this biasing action is indicated by the arrow x. Further, because of the accordion pleat type structure, the elongated strip portions passing through the central openings of the discs will expand against the edges of the central openings to stabilize the discs so that they can be rotated about the pleated portions in a fairly stable plane. This expansion As will also be clear from FIGURES 3 and 4, the

pointer portion 19 is bent slightly out of the plane of the circle 18 to bear against the face of the disc 13. Thus, the pointer 19 itself is resiliently biased against the face, and this bias in addition to that exerted by the shoulders 2t) and 20" of the second disc will insure that the pointer portion will be in physical contact with the face of the disc.

As noted in FIGURES 1 and 3, the discs include markings such as the letters of the alphabet by way of example. Thus, when the discs are rotated and come to rest, the pointer portion 19 will designate one of these markings clearly and distinctly because of its direct engagement with the face of the disc.

The operation of the spinning game device will be evident from the foregoing description. Initially, the discs 12 and 13 are removed from the face 11 of the container 10 by breaking the discs at the circular score lines. The central openings 12' and 13' are then provided by removing the central portions of these discs. The discs 12 and 13 may then be folded together about the integral connection 14 and the tab 16 inserted in the slot 15 to hold them in the folded condition.

After the foregoing operation has been completed, the arrow structure may be removed from the face 11 of the box and folded in accordance with the teachings of FIG- URE 2. The accordion pleated structure of the elongated strip is then passed through the central openings and held with the fingers of one hand with the enlarged circular end portions 18 and 20 in overlapping relationship and both positioned on one side of the pair of discs as illustrated in FIGURES 3 and 4. The wedges 17a and 17b snap outwardly to prevent rearward longitudinal movement as clearly shown in FIGURE The operator may then take his other hand and simply impart a spin to the discs as indicated by the arrow in FIGURE 3 and the discs will .then come to rest with the pointer portion 19 designating one of the symbols.

The symbol in question may be employed to dictate a certain action. Alternatively, the marking or symbol may constitute a word, a translation of which is required.

The back of the disc 12 may contain the answers so if "the pointer portion 19 should stop at the letter A which may be a word, for example, a translation of that word will appear in a corresponding position on the back disc 12.

It will thus be evident that several different types of games both educationaland amusing maybe provided by the structure of this invention.

From the foregoing, it will be evident that the present invention has thus provided a greatly improved spinning game device wherein the bearing support for the spinning portion ofthe game and designating portions in the form of the pointer are so designed as to provide smooth and improved operation without adding any appreciable cost to the initial manufacture of the container from which the game is composed.

Various changes falling within the scope and spirit of the invention will occur to those skilled in the art. The spinning game device is therefore not to be thought of as limited to the exact construction set forth merely for illustrative purposes.

What is claimed is:

1. In a spinning game device in which a member having a central opening is adapted to be rotated, a bearing frame means for said member comprising: an elongated strip terminating in first and second given shaped ends, said first given shaped end including a pointer portion, the central portion of said strip being bent out of the plane of said strip to define a folded portion receivable in said central opening with said given shaped ends positioned at least in partial overlapping relationship on one side of said member so that said second given shaped end exerts a pressure on said first given shaped end to bias said pointer portion against the face of said member when said folded portion is received in said central opening of said member.

2. A spinning game device comprising, in combination: at least one disc member having a central opening and markings on at least one face; and an arrow structure constituting an elongated strip terminating in first and second enlarged area portions at opposite ends, said first area portion including an extending pointer portion, the end portions of said strip extending into said enlarged area portions with their side edges bent out of the plane of said enlarged areas to pass through said central opening and serve as a rotational bearing for said disc, said second enlarged area overlapping a portion of said first enlarged area on one side of said disc to exert a pressure thereon and bias said pointer portion against the face of said disc to designate one of said markings when said disc comes to rest.

3. A spinning game device comprising, in combination: a pair of congruent disc members integrally connected at one peripheral edge portion so as to be foldable with one disc on top of the other, said discs including central registering openings and having markings on their exterior faces; and an arrow structure including an elongated strip portion terminating at opposite ends in first and second circles, said first circle including an extending pointer portion on one part of its periphery, the end portions of said strip extending into said circles to terminate at central parts in said circles with their side edges bent out of the plane of said circles in like directions, said circles being brought together in overlapping relationship, the central portion of said strip and said end portions forming a bearing receivable in said registering openings of said discs so that said discs may be rotated about said-strip with said circles overlying one face and said pointer portion designating one of said markings when said discs come to rest.

4. A spinning game device according to claim 3, in which said central portion of said strip -is folded inwardly and outwardly to form accordion itypepleats thereby resiliently bearing against the inner edges of said central openings to stabilize rotation of said discs.

5. A spinning game device including: a pair of congruent discs having markings on their faces and connected together at one peripheral edge portion so as to be' foldable with one disc on top of the other; means for holding said discs together, said discs having central openings in registration when folded together; and an arrow element in the form of an elongated strip terminating at one end in a first circle having a pointer extending from its periphery and at its other end in a second circle, the end portions of said elongated strip extending to the central portions of said circles with their side edges bent out of the plane of said circles leaving shoulder portions, the central portions of said strip extending from said end portions bein respectively bent inwardly and thence outwardly to define accordion type pleats so that said second circle may be brought into registration with said first circle with the shoulders of said second circle overlying the forward portion of said first circle whereby said pleats formed by said strip may be passed through the registering central openings of said discs to serve as a bearing support therefor when said discs are rotated, said pointer being biased into surface engagement with the face of one of said discs by the resilient action of said shoulders so that one of said markings is designated by said pointer when said discs come to rest.

6. A spinning game device according to claim 5, in which said pleats formed by said strip resiliently exp-and rotations.

7. A spinning game device according to claim 6, in 5 which said pointer is bent slightly out of the plane of said first circle to resiliently engage said face of said one of said discs.

7 8. A spinning game according to claim 7, in which said strip includes Wedge shaped, portions on opposite end portions to prevent longitudinal movement of said discs once said pleats have been passed through said central openings.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNETED STATES PATENTS 2,185,556 Johnson Ian. 2, 1940 2,317,047 Foote Apr. 30, 1943 3,100,642 Goldstein Aug. 13, 1963 

1. IN A SPINNING GAME DEVICE IN WHICH A MEMBER HAVING A CENTRAL OPENING IS ADAPTED TO BE ROTATED, A BEARING FRAME MEANS FOR SAID MEMBER COMPRISING: AN ELONGATED STRIP TERMINATING IN FIRST AND SECOND GIVEN SHAPED ENDS, SAID FIRST GIVEN SHAPED END INCLUDING A POINTER PORTION, THE CENTRAL PORTION OF SAID STRIP BEING BENT OUT OF THE PLANE OF SAID STRIP TO DEFINE A FOLDED PORTION RECEIVABLE IN SAID CENTRAL OPENING WITH SAID GIVEN SHAPED ENDS POSITIONED AT LEAST IN PARTIAL OVERLAPPING RELATIONSHIP ON ONE SIDE OF SAID MEMBER SO THAT SAID SECOND GIVEN SHAPED END EXERTS A PRESSURE ON SAID FIRST GIVEN SHAPED END TO BIAS SAID POINTER PORTION AGAINST THE FACE OF SAID MEMBER WHEN SAID FOLDED PORTION IS RECEIVED IN SAID CENTRAL OPENING OF SAID MEMBER. 